Takatsugi Koji Ito

Takatsugi Koji Ito was born in the south of war-torn Japan in October of 1943, the youngest of four children. Soon afterwards his father was killed on a troopship on its way to Okinawa, and Koji never knew him. Life was tough for the family as his widowed mother had to seek employment while raising young children, and Japanese ladies at that time were not trained to work.

Koji was educated in the local schools and on graduation was taken on by the local Asahi Kasei (Chemical) Company to train as a chemical analyst. As is well-known Japan society, especially at that time, was very rule-oriented and Koji felt the need to escape. Having some English and having heard good things about Canada, he took the brave decision to emigrate. He knew he would have to start at the bottom of the employment ladder and took on menial tasks in various Vancouver hotels. But his strong work ethic and talents commended themselves to his employers and he rose in the ranks. Soon he was promoted to executive positions in hotels both in Vancouver and Victoria, but his reputation as a capable executive made him attractive in the 80's, during the Japanese travel boom, to Japanese travel companies. Koji ended his working life as chief executive in a series of travel companies specialising in Japanese clients.

Koji was hardworking and dedicated and earned wide respect in his chosen fields, but lived a rich Life outside of his profession. As a Japanese he was expert in the tea ceremony and ikebana, and for a number of years specialised in the Japanese song tradition of shigin. Most of all he loved classical music and travel. When asked, he would confess to having travelled to every continent save Antarctica and having visited over 80 countries. He also loved his garden. We moved to our current house in 1991 and the lot was unadorned. Over the subsequent years Koji designed and tended a classic Japanese garden that made it into a local gardening magazine.

He died of an incurable lung disease at the age of 81 and will be sadly missed by his family and friends, especially his partner for forty years Keith Farquhar.